When the people have no tyrant, their own public opinion becomes one.

When the people have no tyrant, their own public opinion becomes one.

People constantly speak of "the government" doing this or that, as they might speak of God doing it. But the read more

People constantly speak of "the government" doing this or that, as they might speak of God doing it. But the government is really nothing but a group of men, and usually they are very inferior men. They may have some better man working for them, but they themselves are seldom worthy of any respect.

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.

To be a leader of men one must turn one's back on men.

To be a leader of men one must turn one's back on men.

It is a dangerous and idle dream to think that the state can become rule by philosophers turned kings or read more

It is a dangerous and idle dream to think that the state can become rule by philosophers turned kings or scientists turned commissars. For if philosophers become kings or scientists commissars, they become politicians, and the powers given to the state are powers given to men who are rulers of states, men subject to all the limitations and temptations of their dangerous craft. Unless this is borne in mind, there will be a dangerous optimistic tendency to sweep aside doubts and fears as irrelevant, since, in the state that the projectors have in mind, power will be exercised by men of a wisdom and degree of moral virtue that we have not yet seen. It won't. It will be exercised by men who will be men first and rulers next and scientists and saints long after.

So far as business and money are concerned, a country gains nothing by a successful war, even though that war read more

So far as business and money are concerned, a country gains nothing by a successful war, even though that war involves the acquisition of immense new provinces.

Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell.

Capitalism without bankruptcy is like Christianity without hell.

"I'm so insane, I voted for Eisenhower." "Oh yeah, well I'm so insane, I voted for Eisenhower TWICE!".

"I'm so insane, I voted for Eisenhower." "Oh yeah, well I'm so insane, I voted for Eisenhower TWICE!".

...there is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.

...there is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.